Needle racking apparatus



3, 1965 J. c. RICE 3,197,976

NEEDLE BACKING APPARATUS Filed Jan- 1'7, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet l so 37 62 20 E 22 3s 43 36 l 2 a a L H 74 72 Fig.1.

INVENTOR. JOHN C. RICE Flam/349w ATTORNEYS 3, 1965 J. c. RICE 3,197,976

NEEDLE RACKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY PM 73mm AT TORNEYS United States Patent 3,197,976 NEEDLE RACKING APPARATUS John C. Rice, 74 Mayflower Drive, Manchester, NH. Filed Jan. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 339,844 6 Claims. (CI. 66-26) This invention relates to apparatus for racking the needles of one of the beds of a multi-bed knitting machine.

This application is continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 45,748, filed July 27, 1960, and entitled Needle Racking Apparatus.

In both flat bed knitting machines and circular knitting machines, it has heretofore been proposed to move large sections of one bed relative to the other bed for the purpose of racking. The groups of needles in the section being racked have been translated as a unit, oscillated as a unit and flexed as a unit and knitting cannot take place in a section so transported because the needles of the two beds would strike each other.

Individual needle racking mechanism has also been heretofore proposed. In British Patent 271,694 to Ward of June 2, 1927 a pair of vertically movable sliders are associated with each conventional dial needle for shifting the dial needle to one side or the other. In British Patent 520,417 to Holmes of Apr. 23, 1940, a special dial needle having a protuberance, is disclosed there being a horizontally slidable actuation member with an upstanding butt at the outer end, alongside the special needle for flexing it in one lateral direction. In US. Patent 3,084,528 to Philip of Apr. 9, 1963, each conventional dial needle is flexed in one lateral direction by an actuation member pivoted to the dial.

The principal object of this invention is to provide is to provide a multi-bed knitting machine of the individual needle racking type with improved needle deflection mech anism by which each needle of at least one bed is individually and independently rackedrather than an entire group of adjacent needles.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved individual needle shifting for the successive racking of each individual needle of a bed of needles whereby the racking zone may be reduced to minimum length and a maximum number of racking zones alternated with feed zones.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple, rugged, racking mechanism capable of racking the needles of a bed individually and successively and controllable by an outer rotating path cam of a type well understood in the art.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a circular knitting machine for heavy goods wherein the needles of either the dial or the cylinder are mounted for the flexing of the latch ends thereof andthe latch ends are individually flexed in either direction by obliquely slidable needle following in accordance with the desired pattern and in multiple racking zones.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the claims, the description of the drawings and from the drawings in which i V p i FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the dial of a typical circular knitting machine, showing the multiple racking zones achieved by the apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation, in section on line ice 22 of FIG. 1, showing the racking mechanism of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the elongated members of the racking mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, from the front, illustrating one of the followers of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view, in perspective, showing the racking action of the mechanism of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of the dial cam plate, illustrating in dottecllines, the cams and switches in the position they occupy for securing six or more racking zones alternating with six or more feed zones.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view in section of one of the slide cams, or switches, for selectively racking the dial needles to the right or to the left.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of one of the lever and catch mechanisms in one of the racking zones of the dial plate for racking to the right of left in accordance with actuations by the pattern cams of the machine, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view thereof.

In the drawings, a typical circular knitting machine has been selected for illustrating an embodiment of the invention, the machine 20 being of the type used for knitting heavy goods and made by the Leighton Machine Company of Manchester, New Hampshire. Such machines are well known in the art and a detailed description of the operating mechanism may be found in US. Patent No. 1,522,700 to Rice of Jan. 13, 1925, or US. Patent No. 1,215,411 to Rice of Feb. 13, 1917.

In general such machines include a frame 21, a dial 22, a cylinder 23, drive and control mechanism 24 and yarn feed mechanism 25 (the latter being indicated generally in FIGURE 1 but not shown). The dial needles 26 includes the hook 27, and pivoted latch 28, the elongated shank 29 and the needle butt 30. The cylinder 23 includes the vertical grooves 33 for the cylinder needles 34, the latter being similar to dial needles 26.

Herein the machine 20 is termed a multi-bed knitting machine, the dial 22 being one bed and the cylinder 23 being the other bed. A conventional dial is provided with radial grooves in which the dial needles 26 are slid inwardly and outwardly by means of the butts 30 and suitable annular path cams which engage the butts 30 all in a well known manner.

In this invention the dial 22 includes what I call collective, .outer, needle guide means 35 in the form of an annular dial plate 36 formed with the radial needle grooves 37 for guiding the needles 26 in respective straight knitting paths. The inner terminal ends 38 of the grooves 37 are spaced from the cylinder 23 a distance of several inches to permit the latch end portions 39 of the needles 26 to be flexed laterally, or sidewise in either angular direction in relation to the corresponding needles 34 of the cylinder 23. The butt end portions 40 of the needles are, however, slidable in the grooves 37 and the grooves 37 are relatively deep for a purpose'to be hereinafter explained. The dial plate 36 is one piece and integral with a fixed relation to the cylinder 23 and there are no dial segments arranged to move angularly with relation to the cylinder as taught in the prior art for securing a racking stitch.

Included in the dial 22 is, however, what I call in dividual, inner, needle guide means 43 arranged to normally guide the latch end portions 39 of the needles 26 I in their straight line knitting path, but to individually and/or selectively flex the portions 39 to the right or left of their normal path. The individual, inner, needle guide means includes an inner annular ring 44, fixed to dial plate 36 by the machine screws 45 and provided with a plurality of individual follower grooves 46, each opposite one of the radial grooves 37. The centre 47 of each follower groove 46 is directly under the path of one of the dial needles 26 and the groove extends laterally, 'orsidewise, anequal distance in both angular directions preferably at an angle of about forty-five degrees relative to the normal straight knitting path ofthe needle. The follower grooves 46 are, therefore, oblique to the normal path of a dial needle. The individual, inner, needle guide means 43 also: includes aplurality of followers, or sliders, 48 each slidable in oneof the oblique, follower grooves 46. As best shown in FIG. 4, each follower 48 is bifurcated, or yoked, with the upstanding posts 49 and 50 forming a fork, or slot, 51 for slidably seating the shank 29 of a dial needle 26. The lower portion 52 is slidably seated in one of the oblique grooves 46 and it should be noted that the fork, or slot, 51 terminates below the level of the base 53 of the dial needle grooves 37 to form a pocket or recess 54 at the centre of the follower.

The racking means 57 of the invention includes a plurality of elongated members 58, best shown in FIG. 3, each having an upstanding butt 59, a shank 60 and a downturned, inner, terminal tip 61. Each member 58 is radially slidable in one of the needle grooves 37 with a dial needle 26 riding thereon in slidable relation, the grooves 37 being sufficiently deep to accommodate the shank 29 when overlying the. shank 60. Each downturned tip 61 is seated in the recess 54 of one of the followers 48 for a pivot connection therewith, and the butts 59 extend outwardly well beyond the path of the butts 30 in the needle grooves 37. Dial 22 includes an outer annular ring 62, fixed thereto by the machine screws 63, and provided with radial grooves 64, each aligned with one of the grooves 37 for guiding the butts 59.

It will be apparent that the dial needles 26 can be moved radially in their respective straight knitting paths by means of the conventional path cam 65, even though riding on the shanks 60 of the elongated members 58 in the grooves 37. The dial needles 26 are of suitable material such as metal and are inherently flexible and resilient but will travel a straight path while the latch end portions 39 are straight and unflexed. As shown in FIG. 5, however, when the butt 59 of a member 58 is moved radially outwardly, the follower 48 will be moved to one side of the centre 47 in the follower slot 46 while flexing the needle 26 to that side. The normal inoperative position of the butt 59 is designated y and the outward actuating position is designated x. Similarly when the butt 59 ofa member 58 is moved inwardly to the position Z, the latch end portion 39 of the needle 26 will be moved to the opposite side of the centre. 47. Individual and independent racking of each needle 26 is thus achieved for the dial and it will be obvious that identical mechanism can be mounted .on the cylinder 23 if cylinder racking is desired.

The racking mechanism 68 of the invention includes the individual, inner, needle guide means 43 and the racking mechanism 57, these having been found to be a simple, rugged apparatus for enabling each needle to be racked by a radial actuation exerted outside the dial needle path cam 65. An outer path cam 69 forms the control mechanism for the butts 59, such cams being well known in the art for actuating the butts of dial needles.

Because a racking zone such as 70 can be unusually short, namely the angular length of travel'of cam 69 necessary to move the butts 59 from one to another of the paths, or grooves, X, Y and Z (FIG. many racking zones can be achieved. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, multiple feed zones 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and can be alternated with multiple racking zones 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75 whereby racking can take place between any two feeds when the needles of one bed are not interlocked with the needles of the opposite bed.

It is customary to provide an annular gear rack 77 on a path cam such as 69 which is meshed with a drive gear 78 rotated by the main power shaft 79 of the machine 20.

In this invention the path cam 65 is fixed to the outer path cam 69 by the connector 91 and fixed to the needle presser plate 92 by the connector 93, so that all rotate as a unit by means of gear 78.

The outer path cam 69 includes an outergroove, or path 95 for the butts 59 of members 58 when racking the dial needles one needle tothe left, a central groove, or path 96 for the butts 59 of members 58 in neutral position and an inner groove, or path 97 for the butts 59 of members 58 when racking the dial needles one needle to the right.

In FIGURE 5 the groove 95 corresponds to path X, the groove 96 corresponds to path Y and the groove 97 corresponds to path Z. FIGURE 5 is diagrammatic to show the effect of moving the butts 59 to various radial positions and is not intended to show an actual camming situation.

As best shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, slide cams such as 90 are provided in each racking zone such as 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75 of the outer path cam 69, for moving the butts 59 of the racking members 58 from one to another of the grooves 95, 96 and 97 in accordance with the desired pattern. The slide earns 90 thus move the butts 59 radially inwardly or outwardly from one groove to another only when the dial needles riding on the members 58 are withdrawn from between the cylinder needles and are not engaged in the knitting operation in any of the knitting zones 00, 81, 82, 83, 84 or 85. Each slide cam 90 is of the well known switch type having a switch block 101, an inside switch block cam 102 and an outside switch block cam 103, the switch block 101 being slidable in a radially extending groove 104 in the ,underface of the outer path cam 69 in a manner similar to that of the conventional slidable knitting, or draw, cam.

The actuation of each slide cam 90 is controlled by conventional pattern cam actuated arm, lever and catch mechanism similar to that shown for sliding the knitting cams in the dial plate of the above mentioned U.S. Patent 1,215,411 and controllable in the usual manner by means of a Jacquard type chain pattern mechanism.

As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, in this invention, each slidable cam 90 includes a stud 105 extending through a radial slot 106 in the dial cam plate 69, the stud 105 being pivotally connected by the link 107 to the com pound arm, or lever 109. The arm, lever and catch mechanism of racking means 57 may be mounted on dial cam plate 69, or, as shown, may be carried by a plate 130 attached to the cam plate 69. Arm 109 is pivoted to plate 130 at 131 and both arm 109 and link 107 are slotted at 132 and 108 respectively for guide pins 134 and 135 upstanding from plate 130. In the position shown, spring 110, resiliently urges the stud 105 outwardly so that cam 90 is in its outward path X position. The upper plate 111 of arm 109 includes the notch 112 for the upper spring pressed latch 113 and the lower plate 114 of arm 109 includes the notch 115 for the lower spring pressed catch 116, but the catches are not engaged in the notches.- The upper plate 111 and the lower plate 114 of compound cam 109 are fixed to each other by bolt 154 and arm 109 is pivotally connected to link 107 -by pivot pin 155. When the compound arm 109 is in full inward position with upper catch 113 engaged in notch 1 12 of upper plate 111, the roller is moved outwardly so that it is in position for engagement ,by cam 118. The pattern chain has pattern links of three heights, low, intermediate and high, and in the position shown an intermediate link has raised the pattern controlled cam 118 to intermediate height to strike knock-off lever 119 which is arranged to release both catches 113 and 116, by striking the pins 126 and 127 of the catches.

To move slide cam 90 to the neutral, or X path, a low pattern link lowers pattern cam 118 to low position to contact the lower plate 114 and push compound arm 109 inwardly until it is caught by the lower catch 116 in notch 115. To again move cam 90 outwardly the cam 118 is raised to strike knock-off lever 119 which in turn strikes pin 127 and releases catch 116.- On the other hand, to move cam 90 inwardly to path Z, a high link raises cam 118 to high position to engage the upper plate 111 and move it inwardly until caught by upper catch 113. To move cam 90 back to neutral, or path Y, the cam 118 is moved to low position, where it passes by the lower plate 114, now held inwardly, and engages the roller 12d of the knock-off lever 121 which releases the upper catch 113, through link 122, permitting lower plate 114 of arm 1%? to be caught in centre position by lower catch 116. From this centre position cam 90 can be moved inwardly to path Z by impact on upper plate 111 or outwardly to path X by impact on knock-off lever 119 which strikes pin 127 of lower catch 116. Springs 128 and 129 are provided to resiliently urge the catches 113 and 116 into latching position.

The pattern mechanism 14-0 is shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 9 and includes a conventional lift rod 141 and pattern chain 142 carried on gear 148, the chain having low links 143, intermediate links 144 and high links 145.

Instead of a slidable switch cam such as 90, it will be obvious to one skilled in the trade that conventional parallel, pivoted cams, or guides, may be used to move the butts 59 from one groove or path to another. It will also be obvious that a compound rotary cam, or slotted pattern wheel, such as shown in US. Patent 2,041,417 to Kaplan of May 19, 1936, may be used to move the butts 59 from one groove to another, if it is desired to engage only alternate butts 59 and thereby rack only each alternate dial needle.

Although not shown in the drawings, it will be apparent that selectivity can be secured in this invention by the use of high and low butts 59 on the various racking members 53. This is accomplished by providing a cam face at a predetermined height which will throw all of the high and low butts in one radial direction and another cam face at a predetermined greater height to move the high butts in the opposite radial direction, thereby leaving the low butts in the location desired. For example, alternate butts 59 may be high and low, entirely around the needle bed.

I claim:

1. In a multi-bed knitting machine of the type having dial needles with laterally flexible inner latch ends and means for successively racking each individual needle of one said bed relative to the needles of another bed, by applying a force to each said individual needle independent of forces applied to adjacent individual needles;

improved individual needle, lateral shift mechanism comprising: 7

an inner dial ring, underlying the laterally flexible inner latch ends of the dial needles of said machine, said ring having a series of individual follower grooves spaced around the upper face thereof, one under each dial needle and each groove obliqued to the radial path of its dial needle at a uniform angle to said path;

a plurality of dial needle guide followers on said ring, one in each said groove, each having a base portion freely slidable in one of said oblique grooves and each having a bifurcated portion extending upwardly from said base portion on opposite sides of its dial needle to permit normal radial movement of said needle on its radial path while adapted to apply a lateral shift force thereon in either lateral direction; and a plurality of elongated follower actuation members radially slidable on said dial, one for each said follower, each member having its inner end pivotally connected to the centre of one of said followers, thence extending outwardly of said dial, parallel to its dial needle and terminating in an upstanding butt beyond the butt on said dial needle; whereby the reciprocation of the butt of each said member causes the follower to which it is connected to move laterally in said follower groove and to apply a lateral shifting force to the dial needle associated with said follower. 2. Improved lateral shift mechanism as specified in claim 1;

wherein each said elongated follower actuation member is slidable in the groove of its associated dial needle and underlies said dial needle in said groove. 3. Improved lateral shift mechanism as specified in claim 1;

wherein the bifurcation of each said dial needle guide follower extends below the plane of the path of the dial needle with which it is associated to form a central recess in said follower; and the inner end of each said elongated actuation member is downturned to fit loosely within the said recess of its follower; whereby said end and said recess form a pivot connection. 4. In a circular knitting machine having a dial with radial grooves for conventional dial needles and laterally flexible inner latch ends on said dial needles;

improved individual needle racking mechanism, comprising:

a plurality of individual follower guide means spaced around the inner face of said dial and underlying the laterally flexible latch ends of said dial needles, each guide means associated with one of said needles and extending obliquely at an angle of about 45 on each opposite side of the radial path of said needle;

a plurality of identical, individual, followers, each having a base portion slidable in one of said guide means and each having a bifurcated portion extending upwardly from said base portion on opposite sides of the dial needle thereabove for flexing said needle in accordance with the direction said follower is moved in said obliqued guide means;

and a plurality of follower actuation members, each having an inner end operatively connected to the centre of one of said followers, each axially slidable radially of said dial and each having a butt at the outer end thereof whereby radial reciprocation of each butt causes corresponding oblique reciprocation of its follower and corresponding lateral flexing of its dial needle.

5. Individual needle racking mechanism for use on the dial needles of circular knitting machines said mechanism comprising:

a plurality of identical, individual, inner, needle-deflector means spaced around the inner face of the dial of said machine, each said means including a yoked follower embracing the shank of one of said dial needles and mounted to slide freely in said dial in a horizontal plane in a path obliqued to the radial path of said needle;

and racking means including a plurality of elongated members slidable radially in said dial, each said member having a butt at the outer end thereof and having its inner end pivotally connected to the centre of one of said yoked followers;

whereby each inner end of each conventional dial needle of said machine may be deflected, or shifted, laterally in either direction by radial inward or out- Ward movement of the butt of the elongated member associated with said dial needle.

6. Racking mechanism as specified in claim 5 plus:

control mechanism mounted on said machine, outside the paths of the dial needles thereof, and operably connected to the pattern mechanism of said machine, said mechanism including cams adapted to engage the butts of said members to move said members in accordance with a predetermined racking pattern.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 596,301 12/97 Leighton et a1. 6626 1,215,411 2/17 Rice 6626 1,522,700 1/25 Rice 6626 3,084,528 4/63 Philip 6624 FOREIGN PATENTS 271,694 6/27 Great Britain.

520,417 4/40 Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

5. INDIVIDUAL NEEDLE RACKING MECHANISM FOR USE ON THE DIAL NEEDLES OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF IDENTICAL, INDIVIDUAL, INNER, NEEDLE-DEFLECTOR MEANS SPACED AROUND THE INNER FACE OF THE DIAL OF SAID MACHINE, EACH SAID MEANS INCLUDING A YOKED FOLLOWER EMBRACING THE SHANK OF ONE OF SAID DIAL NEEDLES AND MOUNTED TO SLIDE FREELY IN SAID DIAL IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE IN A PATH OBLIQUED TO THE RADIAL PATH OF SAID NEEDLE; AND RACKING MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED MEMBERS SLIDABLE RADIALLY IN SAID DIAL, EACH SAID MEMBER HAVING A BUTT AT THE OUTER END THEREOF AND HAVING ITS INNER END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE CENTER OF ONE OF SAID YOKED FOLLOWERS; WHEREBY EACH INNER END OF EACH CONVENTIONAL DIAL NEEDLE OF SAID MACHINE MAY BE DEFLECTED, OR SHIFTED LATERLLY IN EITHER DIRECTION BY RADIAL INWARD OR OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE BUTT OF THE ELONGATED MEMBER ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DIAL NEEDLE. 